Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz announced that Felicity Hicks, 9^th grade student from Northeast Philadelphia, is the winner of the 2011 Congressional Art Competition. Hicks attends The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush.  Her entry is an acrylic painting titled “Flowers,” which will be framed and hung in the Capitol building in Washington, D.C.

For this year’s Congressional Art Competition, Schwartz invited participation from two arts’ schools in the district: Eastern Center for Arts and Technology, Willow Grove, and The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush, Northeast Philadelphia.

There were three entries from each school from students in 9^th through 12^th grade. The students submitted artwork from various mediums including: acrylics, pen and ink, marker and dyes, and photographic print. 

The competition judge was a senior resident of the Evelyn and Daniel Tabas House, one of the Federation Housing Units in the district.  Mr. Freedman is an art aficionado and does the container gardening on the grounds of Tabas and Reider House.

Honorable mentions include:

·         Acacia Barron, a 10^th grader at The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush, for her photography print “Michael Rosenbaum.” Barron lives in Northeast Philadelphia.

·         Nichole Hamilton, a senior at Eastern Center for the Arts & Technology, for her pen and ink drawing “Mr. Squishy.” Hamilton lives in Willow Grove, PA.

The Congresswoman thanks all of the students who submitted their incredible work for consideration and congratulates the winning artist. 

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